Pete Thamel is Leaving the New York Times for Sports Illustrated

Pete Thamel, the New York Times college sports reporter, is leaving for Sports Illustrated, the paper announced internally Monday night. A text message to Thamel went unreturned.

Thamel, who is one of the most dogged reporters in college sports, will join Stewart Mandel and Andy Staples covering college football, and Luke Winn, Seth Davis and Andy Glockner covering college basketball. Kentucky basketball fans will surely be thrilled with this move.

Sports Illustrated recently made some cuts, but the addition of Thamel should put SI in a position to challenge CBS Sports for supremacy on the college sports front. ESPN recently stole Brett McMurphy from CBS in an effort to bolster its college sports lineup. In recent years, college football has surpassed the MLB and NBA as the 2nd most popular sport in the country, and clearly, the media is adjusting to cater to readers.

From The Web

Comments

Binghamton has never recovered from the wrath of Thamel. Props to a fellow Syracuse guy for a big gig!

Liquor

As far as sportswriters who hate sports goes, he’s one of the tolerable ones.

http://twitter.com/#!/rexdangerseeker RexKramerDangerSeeker

It’s really too bad Kornheiser is on Summer hiatus. Would love to hear his rant on this one.

The Wayne Fontes Safari

In recent years, college football has surpassed the MLB and NBA as the 2nd most popular sport in the country

As it should.

ms621

My least favorite 1/3

Really? I kind of enjoy the fact that old media musings is back.

AssaultWithAConcreteDildo

I’d be miserable if I hated my work as much as Thamel hates the subjects he covers.

https://twitter.com/#!/derkaiser10 Der Kaiser

College football is the most popular sport down in here in hicksville, USA. But what about you northerners. Are people really that into college football in big cities like New York, Boston, Chicago etc?

http://i.imgur.com/6mQjo.gif VladimirCrouton

Hey Pete

Go after the SEC.

http://twitter.com/mantis915 phillymantis915

Are people really that into college football in big cities like New York, Boston, Chicago etc?

No to all three (include Philly as well). Pro football and baseball rule the cities in the Northeast & Chicago (SC will have to back me up on this).

johndewar

In recent years, college football has surpassed the MLB and NBA as the 2nd most popular sport in the country

Any facts to support this conclusion?

http://twitter.com/ButtersBC ButtersBC

College football is the most popular sport down in here in hicksville, USA

That’s because their NFL teams have been historically bad and people like rooting for teams that can compete

http://joebushtradepub.blogspot.com Walking Underwear

college football is not big in chicago

and really, why is it such a big deal when talent switches networks? even if they are the best at their job, where does that make a difference? scoops might be owned for a minute, so the quality of writing/broadcasting?

http://www.twitter.com/AnthonyLimaFAN cursedcleveland.com

Disagree with Chicago not being a good college football town. Their television ratings are actually very solid…and the bars are PACKED on Saturday’s for games. Plenty Big Ten love up there.

Cleveland and Detroit also have huge college football support (as does Milwaukee as well with all the Badger fans there)

AssaultWithAConcreteDildo

Any rural is more likely to care about college sports. It’s the Atlanta Falcons, but the Georgia Bulldogs. This is not surprising.

http://www.thevictoryformation.com Watsonian

I don’t know what Vez is talking about. College football is huge in this city. Almost every bar has a college affiliation and makes a big deal out of saturdays in the fall. And it’s not just Big 10 football either. There are a lot of bars affiliated with Big 12, SEC, and ACC universities. Oh, and a ton of ND bars.

https://twitter.com/#!/derkaiser10 Der Kaiser

That’s because their NFL teams have been historically bad and people like rooting for teams that can compete

No. You guys have had pro teams for 100 years now. Down south, most pro franchises only showed up 30 years ago. I’m strictly in pro>college camp. But that might have something to do with my hatred of rednecks. I think it’s against the law down here to be a redneck and also not be a mouth breathing college football fan. It’s in their DNA. Mind you, most of them have never stepped foot on campus they so passionately support.

http://www.thevictoryformation.com Watsonian

Mind you, most of them have never stepped foot on campus they so passionately support.

Just like a vast majority of Wolverine fans.

http://joebushtradepub.blogspot.com Walking Underwear

what i meant was no one cares about the local teams. of course big cities have lots of alumni who care and watch.

cracker jack

In recent years, college football has surpassed the MLB and NBA as the 2nd most popular sport in the country

Haha. Hahaha. It’s like you think that continuing to repeat this makes it true.

AssaultWithAConcreteDildo

Listening to Der Kaiser, you’d think fans of the Eagles or Jets stop by the opera on the way back from the game.

We’re talking about *sports* fans. The only pretentious ones follow soccer (and that’s part of the reason some soccer fans follow it).

http://twitter.com/ButtersBC ButtersBC

Haha. Hahaha. It’s like you think that continuing to repeat this makes it true

Well it probably is, I mean stuff like CBS’ game of the week gets more eyeballs than FOX Saturday Baseball but then you’re dealing in matters of supply and demand with number of games and if those metrics are even fair

https://twitter.com/#!/derkaiser10 Der Kaiser

Didn’t realize that’s such a controversial stance. Being in Atlanta, maybe my views are skewed, but I see 10 times the passion for college football as compared to NBA or ugh MLB. The marquee bowl games and good match-ups during the season gets massive ratings throughout the country.

vajayjay redick

Boston’s weird b/c there’s like 30-40 colleges but only 1 that plays D1 football. There’s no interest in Boston for LOCAL college football unless BC is playing Notre Dame, but I went to the local LSU alumni bar for both Bama games and the place was like the Cajun embassy.

cracker jack

but then you’re dealing in matters of supply and demand with number of games and if those metrics are even fair